(Not applicable.)
The present invention relates to a portable device for dispensing products contained on a roll, such as paper towels, wrapping paper, material, toilet paper and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to a dispensing device which holds the roll of product to be dispensed at one end, orients the roll in a vertical manner, and is portable. In this manner, the device may be placed on a horizontal surface for use.
Several products commonly used in the household are purchased wound in a roll on a core, typically a cardboard type of core. Products like this include paper towels, toilet paper, disposable plastic bags and other transversely perforated products, as well as some roll products which are not transversely perforated, such as wax paper and plastic, wrapping film. While these products are often placed in a dispenser or hung from a surface so that the axis of the central core is horizontally oriented, in some circumstances it is both functionally required and/or aesthetically pleasing to have the product available in a vertical orientation of the core axis, particularly with one end of the dispenser resting on a horizontal surface, such as a kitchen counter. Furthermore, it is functional and aesthetic improvement, among other things, to have a dispensing device that does not hold the product roll at both ends or require a shaft for the roll to rotate on yet still provides rotational movement of the roll.
The present invention provides an aesthetically pleasing and functionally efficient portable device for receiving a roll of product wound on a central core, retaining the product in a vertical orientation, allowing rotational motion and making the product readily dispensable to a user. The device comprises a base and an arm, with a support member seated rotatably on the base. Preferably, the support member has core engagement members, that is, notches, ribs, extensions, or similar attachments which further aid in tightly securing the core onto the support member. The arm extends from the base in a manner which does not inhibit the operation of the device.
One of the many advantages of this device is that it may be moved to any desired location and can stand on its own. However, the device may also be secured at a location in any position, temporarily or. permanently, using conventional mounting techniques, i.e., clamps, brackets, adhesives, etc.
A preferred embodiment further comprises a vertically protruding extension from the upper surface of the base. The support member is seated on the protruding extension, in a fashion similar to a bearing, thus enabling rotational motion of the support member. Preferably, the arm extends horizontally away from the base before reaching an elbow, thus changing the direction of the arm so that it extends vertically upward. The device may include a gripping or locking mechanism for holding, preventing unraveling or further securing the roll of product.